Diamond in the Rough
by Spiteful
Summary: It's Lily and James' 7th year at Hogwarts and a new event is taking place, but while this is all happening, Lily has to solve the puzzle to a diamond theft she knows nothing about, while James starts bringing romance into the picture.


**Diamond in the Rough (L/J) - by Spiteful**  
  
Take note that this is one of my first fanfics to ever be put up for anyone else to be read, so cut me some slack. Also, All characters and Harry Potter references are copyrighted to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. and I'm not affiliated with them in any way, however, the plot and any new characters you hear of are copyrighted to me.  
  
**- - - Chapter One**  
  
Lily woke up with a cold sweat. She jumped up on her bed into a sitting position and looked towards her alarm clock. "Eight in the morning," she muttered sleepily as she pulled the covers off her legs and got out of bed. She rubbed her eyes numerous times before the blur of her closet came into view. She opened it up to reveal a mess of Hogwarts uniforms, and a small pile of muggle clothing. She glanced over at her unpacked suitcase and groaned. She grabbed all her uniforms in her arms and dropped them into the suitcase. She'd been in a rush, since the Hogwarts Express left within three hours, and she still had much to do. She had been all packed up and dressed within half an hour as she made her way down to breakfast.  
  
Lily Evans, a somewhat tall, slender redhead, was attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for her seventh and final year. She hoped things would be better somehow this year, and anticipated seeing all her great friends again.  
  
Lily had come down the stairs into the kitchen and sat down at the table, yawning. Her sister, Petunia, a dark haired girl, about a few years older than Lily, and had never got accepted to Hogwarts, sat opposite her. Being siblings, they never quite got along as well as their mother hoped they would.  
  
Lily's mother had just bustled in to the kitchen to make breakfast for the girls, spoke in a light, cheery voice. "Good morning girls! How did you sleep? Lily, are you packed yet? We have a very busy day ahead of us!" Lily and Petunia both nodded to their mother and sat quietly at the dining table, waiting to eat.  
  
After choking down her breakfast, Lily went back upstairs and got her trunk, then brought it down and packed it away in the back of her mother's car. She opened up the passenger's door and slid into the car as she looked at her mother and spoke. "Mother, you don't have to drive me to King's Cross Station anymore, I'm seventeen, I can do it myself now." Her mother's eyes looked back at Lily and twinkled. "I know dear. But, it's your last year at Hogwarts, and mostly at home as well. What if something happened to you and I never got to say goodbye?" Lily's mother replied, tears swelling up in her eyes as she started the car and drove to King's Cross Station, Petunia scoffing at her remark.  
  
At the arrival of King's Cross Station, Lily had taken her trunk from the back seat and waved goodbye to her mother and sister as she ran over between Platforms 9 and 10. The way to get to the Hogwarts Express was, of course, to go through Platform 9 and 3/4. Lily heaved her trunk onto a trolley as she waited for several muggles to pass by. When the path was clear of muggle sight, Lily wheeled her trolley at a fast pace and ran through the brick wall between the other platforms. She had made it to the other side of the wall, and to the Hogwarts Express. She walked over with her trolley quickly and made her way to the cargo cart. She heaved her trunk in with the other students' trunks and walked back over to fetch a compartment for herself as she waited for her friends to join her.  
  
Lily sat in her compartment alone for what seemed like hours until she heard the Hogwarts Express blow it's loud horn. She looked up and peeked from around her compartment door to see if any of her friends were coming at the last minute. Nothing. She sighed heavily as her heart sank as she wondered if her friends had missed the train. She looked around in her pocket for something to chew on while she sat on her long trip back to Hogwarts. Lily then gazed down as she clutched something in her hands in her pocket. It was a tiny locket of gold, shaped of a heart with a tiny gemstone of a diamond.   
  
Lily gazed at it for awhile, caught in it's beauty as she opened it up. "I don't remember buying this," she muttered. "I don't remember even having the money to buy this..." The inside of the locket was as amazing as the outside. It was encrusted with an old victorian shield on one side, but a small piece of parchment was blocking the shield on the opposite side. Lily carefully took the parchment out of the locket and examined it. In tiny print it read:  
  
_TEME EM AT HTE KEIRSHNIG AKHSC AT WETVLE AM ON MRACH GIENETEHT_  
  
Lily looked at the parchment with a puzzled face as she shook her head and put it back in the locket. She jumped suddenly as her compartment door opened, with a dark, untamed, haired young man of her age, wearing glasses that covered his bright eyes. Lily's expression went from confused to annoyed as she stuffed the locket hastily into her pocket once again.  
  
"So, Potter, what do you want?" she asked with an uninterested look about her. James Potter, another seventh year, that which I may add, had somewhat of a fancy towards Lily, and was in Lily's same house of Gryffindor, walked over to her, sitting on the cushioned seat opposite her.  
  
"Does everything have to be so complicated with you?" he asked, smirking at Lily. Lily looked back with mild surprise. "Only if you make it that way. Now if you'd please leave me alone, I'm waiting for a few friends," she replied. "You mean the friends who are sitting up with Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I?" James said back. Lily looked completely shocked as she jumped up and stared at James. James nodded and jerked his head towards the hall of the train, his arms crossed as he lead her towards the compartment he had been sitting in.  
  
Lily's mouth fell open as she saw her two best friends, Jade Lark, a tall blonde with a quirky attitude that was in Ravenclaw, and Jean Burns, a short brunette who was rather shy, that was in the same house as Lily. Jade, Jeanr, Sirius, Remus, and lastly Peter, all looked up at Lily in her shocked expression.  
  
Jade smiled as she jumped up and hugged Lily as a greeting. "Hey Lils! We've been waiting for you!" Jade exclaimed, looking somewhat nervous. Lily stopped gawking as she turned to Jade in disbelief. "You've been waiting?! You...you've been giggling with these, these, hooligans!" Lily said aloud as she pointed towards the boys. "Gee Lils, we didn't mean to upset you, we thought you missed the train or something! We couldn't find you!" Jean spoke up in her high voice. Lily threw her hands up in the air as she walked out of their compartment and back over to hers, Jade and Jean closely following.   
  
Lily, Jade, and Jean plopped down in their compartment and shut the door. "Look, I'm not upset, but if you hang around with them James will think I'm finally giving in!" Lily said, gritting her teeth. Jean furrowed her brows and tilted her head. "Giving in? What do you mean?" Lily smacked her forehead down on the palm of her hand. "Never mind, just never mind."  
  
The trip to Hogwarts was a long and miserable one. Most everyone on the train was quiet as the rain splattered down on the windows, as they stared out at the misty view of Scotland. Lily expected to see the same old view as the train passed by the wide fields of greenery on one side, and the rocky mountain peaks on the other, but this time something caught her eye. She squinted through the rain on the window as she came to see a small door shaped opening in one of the mountain sides. "A cave? I didn't know there was a cave there," she asked looking puzzled at her friends. Jade and Jean shrugged as they chewed on the wizarding candies they bought from the old woman who came around with the trolley full of wonderful treats.   
  
The large castle of Hogwarts came into view minutes later as the train stopped abruptly at it's station. The students unloaded their trunks from the cargo end and made their way to carriages, excluding the first years. Traditionally, the first years would cross over the lake with the gamekeeper to the castle, and everyone second year and above rode in carriages.   
  
Lily, Jade and Jean got into a carriage with their trunks as it sped off down the path to Hogwarts, many carriages following behind and leading in front. Lily caught a glimpse of James waving from a carriage behind her as she turned around. She then folded her arms and sneered back at him. Lily hadn't hated James, it was the fact that he always got on her nerves that always made her so distraught over him.  
  
When the carriages stopped, Lily and her friends got out and walked up the marble staircase with the other students and into the entrance hall. The hall was brightly lit with torches of all sorts and decorated with numerous suits of armour down the sides of the room. The students dried off and warmed up from the cold journey, and from getting slightly damp walking up to the castle, as they walked their way over to a door which headed into the Great Hall in which the ceremony and feast would take place.  
  
Lily and Jean sat down at the Gryffindor house table as they waved to Jade when she walked over to the Ravenclaw table. James and his gang sat down a few seats from Lily, as he beamed at her and then watched as Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, spoke to the students as they all sat down and their chattering faded.  
  
"Welcome, welcome. Well, let the ceremony begin then," Professor Dumbledore announced as the first years stumbled and walked into the Hall. Professor McGonagall, the deputy head, who wore a velvety green robe had taken out a three legged stool and placed it in the middle of the Hall, as she picked up an old looking hat in one hand, and a long list of first year students in the other.   
  
Her voice echoed as she called out numerous students to be sorted by the sorting hat. "Appel, Bernice!" she cried out, as a stout girl with blonde hair walked up to the stool and sat down, the hat being placed on her head. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted within seconds, as the Hufflepuff house table clapped. James had whispered to Lily as the sorting continued. "Hey, Lily! Will you go out with me?" he asked, his friends sniggering. Lily turned around and glared coldly at him, ignoring his question, as she turned back around. "Devins, Michael!" Professor McGonagall called out next. The hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" as Lily clapped for the small red headed boy as he sat down with them on the other end. Lily turned back around at James as she suddenly felt something hit her head.   
  
It was a small candy from the train that he had stuffed in his pocket. Lily breathed hard as he kept throwing candies at her every time she ignored him. The sorting was almost over by the time Lily turned red and started throwing candies back at James. The sorting ended when the last name was shouted, "Yates, Taylor!" who was sorted into Ravenclaw. Lily and James stopped throwing the candies at each other once Professor Dumbledore stood up once more and chattering faded again.  
  
"Ah, yes, now that I have your attention, I have some announcements to make. The dark forest of course, is forbidden to all students, no exceptions. And secondly, I'm very joyful to announce that a very entertaining event will take place at Hogwarts this year," said Professor Dumbledore aloud as many students gasped and started chattering again.   
  
"Yes, yes, very exciting, however...it is best for you to hear about it, in as much detail as possible. So, Professor McGonagall and I have made notices for all common rooms and classrooms, explaining in much detail about the event. You will find them hanging on the notice boards, and I recommend highly that you please read them," Professor Dumbledore gave a grin as he continued, "and lastly, I need to appoint out the new Head Boy and Girl. This year's Head Boy will be Slytherin's Lucius Malfoy, and Head Girl shall be Gryffindor's Lily Evans." Lily's eyes widened as she gazed quickly at the Slytherin table, staring at Lucius, a boy with slicked back white-blonde hair with a sneer on his face, looking very pleased with himself as the Slytherin table clapped for him. At the Gryffindor table, and also the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, many students clapped for Lily and cheered for her loudly.  
  
Lily looked around at James, who was glaring at Lucius Malfoy with an expression of jealousy on his face. Lily looked down and smiled faintly only when Jean asked if she was all right. Professor Dumbledore then announced the feast to begin.  
  
As the students got done with the feast and headed to their common rooms and up to bed, Jade and Jean walked with Lily to the portrait hole entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Jade, Jean, and many other Gryffindors congratulated her as they passed by, Lily nodded back.   
  
"So I guess we won't get to have anymore late night studying then, eh Lils?" Jean said laughing, as Jade joined her. Lily looked confused as she stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean? I'm still thoroughly studying, even if I am Head Girl," Lily replied. "Of course you will, but not with us anyway. Lily, don't you remember? Head Boy and Girl get their own lounge and rooms!" Jean spoke. Lily gasped and smacked her forehead as she remarked. "Merlin, that's right! But...I have to share a lounge with Lucius!" Jade and Jean shuddered as they came across the portrait hole entrance. Jade bid a goodnight as she made her way to the Ravenclaw common room.   
  
Jean whispered the password and stood at the passageway as she looked back at Lily, who wasn't moving. "What's the matter?" she asked. Lily looked up miserably and shook her head. "I don't even know where the Head Boy and Girl lounge is!" Jean frowned and answered. "I think it's on the sixth floor, Dumbledore mentioned it earlier." Lily thanked her for the help, which wasn't much, and also said goodnight to Jean as she walked down many stairs to the sixth floor.  
  
Lily wandered the dimly lit corridors of the sixth floor with her arms crossed as she shivered from being cold. She stumbled about for several minutes when she heard a familiar voice call out to her. She walked towards the voice and turned a corner.   
  
It was Lucius Malfoy. He stood in front of a statue of a mermaid as he smirked, he then opened his mouth to talk. "I knew you were coming up soon. This floor often gets deserted, so I knew it was you." Lily looked around for a passageway but hadn't seen anything. Lucius then muttered "gillyweed" to the statue of the mermaid as the statue came down into a small opening for it into the ground as a door developed on the wall beside them.   
  
Lily peeked in, then took a step inside as Lucius followed her, the door slammed shut behind them as they looked around curiously. They stood in a room filled with the most dazzling items.   
  
The walls were covered with many golden framed pictures of mermaids and ships, the ceiling decorated to look like a ship sailing out in the ocean on a stormy night, the furniture all wooden but cushioned with soft golden fabric, two corner tables with chairs, a tall notice board in another corner, and two doors on either side of the large room. To the left of the room just to one side of one of the doors was a fireplace, already lit up, the flames shining into the golden framed pictures, and burning softly. Lily was in awe as she sank down into a chair by the fire, Lucius looking only mildly interested. "Is this all?" he asked, "my bedroom at home as more than this in it, all much more highly expensive as well..." Lily turned and glared at him, giving him a deep frown. Lily would have loved to stay and examined the room, but she needed her rest for the following days, and she didn't feel up to arguing with Lucius. She got up hastily and opened the door on the left side of the room, Lucius gazing as she walked in, leaving him alone by the fire.  
  
Once inside the room Lily instantly noticed the brass handled bed. She turned towards the dresser to change into her night gown as something startled her. A small house elf was standing down by it, looking at her with a grin. "You is pleased with your room, ma'am?" the house elf asked. Lily clutched her throat as she swallowed and tried to speak again. "Y-yes, very, thank you," she said kindly. "Good. I is leaving now ma'am, so you can get to bed now ma'am," the house elf replied, looking pleased as she scuttled out of the room. Lily grinned as the house elf left, once again changing into her night gown. She sank into her softly mattressed bed as she closed her eyes and a whirlwind of colorful dreams came into view. 


End file.
